NuvaRing

Information here is general in nature. Over time information may get changed, contradicted or added to. You should always consult a medical practitioner or pharmacist for up to date and comprehensive information.

NuvaRing

Approximate effectiveness: 98-99%

No protection against STDs.

Can be made ineffective by antibiotic use; consult your doctor or pharmacists if you are taking antibiotics

The NuvaRing is an attractive birth control method because it needs to be inserted into the vagina only once a month. It then releases hormones which, like the Birth Control Pill releases hormones which "trick" a woman's ovaries into not releasing an egg. Its effectiveness is said to be 98 or 99 %. And, like the Pill, there is no protection from STDs. Here is a commercial site about NuavRing . (Smart2Ask does not endorse this or any product but you may find some information here worth seeing. Note the "Important Safety Information" on the home page).

A female squeezes the flexible NuvaRing and places it in her vagina, and it doesn't need to be in any particular place. It stays there for 3 weeks and gets taken out at the start of the 4th week, though it protects against pregnancy for 4 weeks. In case you are wondering about that flexible ring in the vagina during sexual intercourse, yes, it gets taken out during sex. You'd want to check the product's literature but generally it can be taken out for up to three hours before sex and then should be re-inserted. What does it do in there? It releases hormones which prevent the release of an egg so pregnancy won't happen. Possible side effects, both good and bad, are pretty much like those of the birth control pill.

You will need to get a prescription from a doctor or clinic. Use a backup form of birth control like abstinence or condoms for the first month of use. You don't want to be using two hormone-type methods at the same time. Get a second month's NuvaRing and have it on hand before your second month starts so you aren't suddenly caught without it. Remember, you won't even have it inserted for the fourth week of the month.